Sexually Violent Predator Must Move Out Of Napa, Court Rules

NAPA COUNTY, CA — As a result of a hearing Monday in San Francisco Superior Court, a convicted sexually violent predator living in Napa County must be transferred to San Francisco County, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced in a news release.

Charles Leroy Christman, 76, was released in September 2020 to live at 4018 E. 3rd Ave. in Napa County, where for six months he lived in close proximity to two schools and within a one-mile radius of 62 children, the Napa County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

Under court order, Christman must be transferred on or before April 25 to a new placement in San Francisco.

The residents of San Francisco were notified of Christman's placement but there were no letters, comments or attendees, Haley said.

That was not the case when Christman was released to Napa County.

• PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sexually Violent Predator May Be Released To Napa County: DA

"Mr. Christman, who has no ties to the Napa Community, was previously released to Napa County

despite strong public opposition. The community was universally opposed to the placement, evidenced by over 500 letters submitted in opposition and a petition containing 793 signatures submitted by our office," Haley said.

"Sixty-two children were identified as living within a one-mile radius of the home and two schools were in close proximity. The Napa County District Attorney’s Office attended all hearings in San Francisco Superior Court and consistently advocated that Mr. Christman would be better placed in San Francisco where his crimes occurred."

Because Christman's criminal record and diagnosis of pedophilia, he is classified as a sexually violent predator. He has a long history of sexually assaulting young boys and a criminal record that includes two felony convictions for lewd and lascivious acts on boys from 7 to 14 years old, the Napa County DA's Office said.

He has been committed to the California Department of Mental Health as a sexually violent predator since 1997, not long after the Sexually Violent Predator Act was enacted in 1996. The legislation targets the most serious sex offenders. The goal once they complete their prison sentences is to have them committed indeterminately for sex offender treatment within the state hospital system, the DA's Office said.

First, the offender must have been convicted of a violent felony sex offense. Second, the offender must have a diagnosed mental disorder. Third, the offender must be likely to commit further sexually violent predatory offenses, according to the DA's Office.

When Christman was released to Napa County, he'd been at Coalinga State Hospital for five years after having been recommitted because he violated the terms of his previous release in 2015 to Walnut Creek.

Napa County Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur, who handled the recent case, said: "This change of heart by the San Francisco Superior Court is a testament to the commitment of our office to notify the Napa community, provide a mechanism for neighborhood voices to be amplified and the patience to move through the proper procedures to ensure that Mr. Christman has an appropriate placement — outside of Napa County."